


Shut Up and Dance

by AlxSteele



Series: Through The Looking Glass [19]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alt!Malec, Alternate Universe - This World Inverted (Shadowhunters TV), Developing Relationship, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Malec
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-15
Updated: 2016-06-15
Packaged: 2018-07-15 05:21:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7209491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlxSteele/pseuds/AlxSteele
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in the AU of This World Inverted, Magnus takes Alec to Pandemonium and has an internal panic attack about whether or not to tell Alec the truth, that he’s actually 400 hundreds years old and a warlock.<br/>Fluff. Some angst.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shut Up and Dance

**Author's Note:**

> This could be seen as filler but I prefer the term transition. And…the calm before the storm? =)
> 
> So TheLittleBlackCap and Manwameldiel (who are both awesome and have been super supportive of this series forever) both left me prompts (more like little ideas) that helped with this one even if they were just little things. I was going through my prompts because this one was being stubborn and the small things helped a lot! And Rahar_Moonfire (who's also awesome and supportive!) left a more specific prompt that I started on here (but will probably come up again). So yes, thank you and all you other amazing people for reading all of these! 
> 
> This is part of a series that would be much more enjoyable if you read the whole thing! =)
> 
> Title from Shut Up and Dance by Walk The Moon because once more my titling powers failed me. =)

“Alexander, well you see – It’s like…” Magnus started the speech he’d spent days rehearsing in his mind and, immediately, it turned into a stuttering mess. It was like he was incapable of being anything else when it came to Alexander. When it came to _this_. To telling him the truth.

Magnus took a deep breath but his lungs refused to expand fully, leaving the breath caught uncomfortably in his chest.

He would not hyperventilate, he told himself sternly, taking shallower breaths. In and out. In and out.

Now _talk_.

“Alexander, there’s something I need to tell you… It’s going to sound crazy, I won’t blame you if you don’t believe me.” Magnus’ heart was a train wreck in his chest, banging around, stuttering slowly before racing off into the night. His eyes slid closed of their own accord and he really didn’t know how he hadn’t collapsed to the ground yet. Surely he didn’t have enough oxygen in his system to still be talking?

“Alec… Alexander, I’m… I’m…” _Deep breath, Magnus, you are a four-hundred-year warlock, you can do this_ _. That’s literally all you have to say._ “I’m a…”

Magnus’s eyes opened, his heart was caught somewhere in his throat, but he still pushed the words out. “I’m a…complete and utter idiot.”

Magnus shook his head, running his hands through his hair and staring down at his audience. Not Alexander, but Chairman Meow and Church. Both cats were thoroughly unimpressed with his speech judging by the way Church continued to clean his privates and Chairman simply tilted his head.

“I’m hopeless,” he told the cats in a monotone voice that just managed to hide the way his heart was still racing. The Chairman let out a small meow as if agreeing, rubbing against Magnus’ leg to reassure him.

Magnus sighed, shaking his head. He glanced over his reflection in the mirror once more before heading out of the bedroom.

He’d been so ready to tell Alec. After the night he’d shown up at Magnus’, confronting him about all the nights Magnus had been too busy doing one thing or another, about all the mornings Alec had woken up and Magnus was already gone, about how he knew Magnus was keeping things from him. Magnus had been ready to tell him after he stormed out. Magnus was going to tell him, had it all planned and then… And then he’d let Alec shut him up with a kiss. Let the moment slip away. Because he was a coward.

Barely a week had passed since that night and Magnus kept waiting for the right moment but… He still hadn’t said anything.

It was killing him. The way Alec kept looking at him like he knew Magnus was hiding something. Like he just wanted to be there, in the moment with Magnus but Magnus wouldn’t let him. Like Magnus was already breaking his heart.

That was the last thing Magnus Bane wanted to do. It topped the list of things he never wanted to do, break Alexander Lightwood’s heart… For a long time now, he’d known he would do anything to stop that from happening. But he didn’t know how to stop it, didn’t know how not to be the one to break Alec’s heart…

Every day it became clearer that it was far too late. It was too late to stop himself from falling in love. It was too late to let Alexander go and never have to tell him. It was too late for the truth to do anything but break them both and Magnus just couldn’t do that. Not yet… Even if that made him a horrible person.

Magnus left the loft to meet Alec, not feeling the anticipation he normally felt when seeing Alec, but dread. He should’ve been a better person, stronger. Shouldn’t have fallen in love. Should’ve told Alec already.

But, when it came to Alexander, Magnus just couldn’t help himself.

***

Magnus was likely to kill Raphael one of these days, honestly. Well…kill him again anyway, since he had already died once.

“I can’t believe we’re here,” Izzy said in a soft, awed voice.

“I know, Pandemonium!” Simon gushed next to her.

Magnus glanced over at them, forcing a small smile. Izzy had forgone her glasses for contacts and wore a short, sparkly silver dress and high heels she’d already tripped in more than once. Simon wore his patented ironic nerd shirt and ripped jeans, arm slung lightly over Izzy’s shoulders.

Clary and Jace stood behind them, grinning at each other like they were the only two people in the world.

“This _is_ pretty amazing, Magnus,” Alec said, smirking at the others as he stepped closer to Magnus, grabbing his hand.

“Yes, well, you’re all welcome. Not that I had a choice…”

Alec grinned, pulling on his hand until he stepped closer. Magnus leaned into Alec’s warmth without thought.

Damn Raphael, Magnus thought. Didn’t the vampire realize how much he had on his plate at the moment? But of course, he’d had to come over and run his mouth about his club finally being reopened. Alec had, of course, latched onto it immediately.

This was a bad idea for many reasons; The first being that Magnus was way too busy to be wasting a night in the club, plus he absolutely hated Raphael’s club. The second being that, while the mundanes were under the impression that Pandemonium was simply a high class, members only club, it was, in fact, a Downworlder club. And he was leading a bunch of mundanes straight into it while the downworld was in the midst of a catastrophe.

Still, once Alec got an idea in his head, he wouldn’t let it go. And, of course, Raphael had just grinned at Magnus, winking as he invited them all to stop by.

Magnus really should work on saying no to Alec, he sighed.

Alec glanced over, noticing the frown and slinging his arm around Magnus’ waist to pull him closer. “You okay?” he whispered.

They stood in line outside the club. The music could be heard perfectly clearly through the walls, loud and pulsing, same as the lights that flashed out through the door every time it opened.

“I’m fine,” Magnus said, slipping his hand around Alec’s back and resting it on his hip.

Alec saw straight through him Magnus knew as Alec stared down at him. Magnus refused to meet his gaze.

Alec swooped down suddenly, pressing a light kiss to his cheek. “I know you hate places like this; we don’t have to stay long.”

Magnus’ heart twisted because of course Alec would say that, even though Magnus knew that Alec himself would love nothing more than to stay until the sun came up, dancing and drinking. Of course, Alec would only be thinking of him.

Magnus’ stomach tied itself in knots and suddenly he wanted nothing more than to be inside Pandemonium with a drink in his hand. Or rather, in his system.

“Oh! Magnus, I almost forgot.” Izzy turned to him suddenly, grinning widely in a way that made her eyes lit up. “I got kicked in kickboxing class again—”

Magnus frowned while Simon gave Izzy an endearing look. “Again?”

Izzy ignored him, carrying on. “Anyway, I tried your healing potion thingy! It’s magical!” Isabelle gripped his arm, wrinkling his plain black button up, and staring up at him with wide eyes. “What’s your secret?”

“Seriously, I watched it. The bruise was gone in like, thirty seconds,” Jace chimed in.

Magnus shifted under the gaze of all five mundanes before grinning slowly. “The secret is magic, of course.”

Izzy grinned, rolling her eyes. “Whatever it is, I need like…a case. Do you know how clumsy Simon is?”

Magnus was relieved to find himself crowded close to Alec just moments later as they entered Pandemonium, immediately surrounded by strangers pressed just a little too close for comfort.

Alec grinned his full, unencumbered grin, eyes lighting up at the pulsing lights and music that made the floors vibrate under their feet.

Magnus glanced around, noting Seelie’s, vampires, and warlocks among others. Horns here. Brightly colored skin there. He knew Alec and the others wouldn’t see through the glamours, would simply see a bunch of beautiful people dancing close. It didn’t make him feel any better about being there.

“Damn Alec, your boyfriend has connections,” Jace said in an awed voice, patting Alec on the arm as he passed them, leading Clary further into the club.

The building appeared to be an old, renovated warehouse but it was hard to make out details in the dim lighting.

“Yes, Magnus is so lucky to have friends like me.”

Magnus wasn’t the least bit surprised as Raphael popped up next to them. The vampire gave Alec a quick once over, quirking his lips into a crooked smile as he passed Magnus a glass of shimmering green liquid.

“Drink, it will make you loosen up,” he whispered to Magnus before gliding off once more.

Alec raised his eyebrows but Magnus merely shook his head. He considered the drink as he followed Alec through the club, towards the bar.

All of Magnus’ nerve endings were on fire, he was overly aware of everything, especially when that everything included Alec. Alec, who was dressed in ripped jeans that were far too tight to match his equally too tight plain white shirt. That wasn’t to mention the leather jacket Magnus had never seen him in before but fit too perfectly to be new.

Magnus’ mind was a whirlwind; his stomach one massive knot he couldn’t work out. He was…tired. Tired of hiding everything. Tired of being terrified of saying anything and of not saying anything and…he really just had no idea what to do. So he threw back the alcohol, accepting a second drink from Alec at the bar.

Maybe Raphael was right. Magnus should loosen up a bit.

***

Alec threw his head back, laughing at the way Magnus was clinging to him. They weren’t even really dancing, barely swaying in the middle of the club while the speakers pounded out a fast beat and the strangers surrounding them danced faster and faster.

Magnus had been acting off all night but Alec chocked it up to Magnus being uncomfortable in clubs. Something that changed drastically the more he drank.

After drinking three different glowing drinks, Magnus had grabbed Alec’s hand and pulled him into the middle of the room. He’d thrown his arms around Alec’s neck, pressing in close and whispering in his ear between pressing kisses to his neck.

Alec meanwhile, was enjoying it all greatly. Even if he found it more hilarious than sexy.

“Alec… _Alexander,_ ” Magnus practically purred against the sensitive skin behind Alec’s ear. And that…well, that definitely sent a nice shiver down Alec’s spine. “I have… No, I _need_ , to tell you something.”

Alec’s heart stuttered for a second. Which was stupid, Alec knew, but he couldn’t stop himself from tightening his grip on Magnus.

“Oh yeah? And what’s that?” he whispered back, pressing a kiss to Magnus’ cheek.

***

Magnus was, unfortunately, four hundred years old. This was unfortunate for a few reasons, the top most, at that moment, being that it made it hard for him to get drunk. So, while the three drinks he’d had right in a row had made him feel a little…looser for the half hour or so he’d been dancing with Alec, it wasn’t enough to actually shut his thoughts off entirely.

Which was why he came within seconds of telling Alec the truth before realizing this was the absolute worse time to do that. Really, in the middle of a club, where Alec could only half hear him?

Another unfortunate thing was that Alec was still waiting for Magnus to confess whatever it was he had needed to tell him. Magnus bit his lip, hiding his face in Alec’s broad shoulder.

He breathed in deeply, so close to Alec he couldn’t smell the alcohol and sweat of the club, nothing but pure Alec surrounding him. He always wanted to be surrounded by that. He never wanted to stop being pressed so close to Alexander that he could smell him, that he could feel his heart beat under his hand, that he could kiss him with barely any effort.

Magnus wanted, quite desperately, to grab Alec’s hand and yank him out of the club, portal him back to the loft and finally, _finally_ tell him the truth.

He wanted Alec to know…everything. He wanted to stop having this hanging between them. Wanted to stop hurting Alec. And Magnus desperately, desperately wanted to tell Alexander that he, Magnus Bane, a four-hundred-year-old warlock, was completely and madly in love with him.

He opened his mouth and confessed, “I really hate clubs.”

***

Alec turned his face into Magnus’ neck — having to bend down slightly to accomplish this — laughing into his shoulder. Magnus had actually had him worried there for a minute, he’d sounded so bleakly serious.

“I know. But we don’t have to stay.”

Magnus pulled back slowly, letting a little bit a breathing room between their bodies. Alec’s breath caught in his throat. Under the dim, flashing lights, Magnus’s eyes glowed brighter than ever, his sharp cheekbones were thrown in perfect contrast to his smiling lips and Alec realized — not for the first time — just how beautiful Magnus was.

Magnus blinked at him slowly, their eyes locked, neither wanting to look away. Magnus leaned forward, letting his lips just barely touch Alec’s before pulling back.

“Let’s stay a little while longer.”

***

“Magnus,” Clary called, coming to a stop next to the warlock.

Magnus was leaning against the wall off to the side, catching his breath as Alec hunted for another round of drinks.

Magnus caught himself just before calling Clary “biscuit”. To be honest, anytime Magnus was around either her or her boyfriend, he was nervous. He couldn’t help but remember the other Clary, from the alternate universe, who’d come to him and forced him to reclaim and use his magic. And then the blonde Shadowhunter had shown up…

“Hmm?” Magnus managed to reply, looking over the girl’s shoulder.

He kept telling himself it was nothing, yet Magnus hadn’t failed to notice the looks Clary had been giving him all night. Looks of confusion as she bit her lip.

Magnus had been sure to stay away from her as much as possible, unsure if she could possibly maintain some leftover memories from the other Clary.

He breathed deeply to calm his racing heart.

“It… I keep… Did we meet before? I mean, before you started dating Alec?” Clary blinked wide, innocent eyes at Magnus.

Her question forced him to look back at her, struggling to maintain an impassive face. Her hair had been pulled back into a messy ponytail, her face was scrunched up in thought.

“Not that I recall.” Magnus was proud of his cool and even tone. He looked Clary up and down, tilting his head thoughtfully. “Did you ever have a psychic reading? I can’t recall all my clients.”

Clary was frowning before he finished the question, shaking her head slowly. “It’s… I remember the…the craziest thing. Almost…like a dream but real. You know?”

Magnus schooled his features into a look of vague interest and curiosity. “What is it, this dream?”

Clary was shaking her head again. Alec appeared over her shoulder, slowly making his way towards them. Magnus’ heart was split in two, unsure of whether to be happy Alec was coming to save him from this conversation or terrified Clary would say something.

“That’s the thing, I don’t think it was a dream.”

“What wasn’t a dream?” Alec asked, smirking as he passed Magnus a tall glass of shining purple liquid. Magnus preferred to stay ignorant to just what Raphael was serving at his club but he had told the vampire to be sure no mundane was affected tonight.

Clary frowned, looking back and forth between Alec and Magnus. “It’s the strangest thing… Magnus – at that party, you know, the one at the institute?”

Alec let loose one of his full grins then, grabbing Magnus’ hand. “Of course, I remember when we first met.”

Magnus managed a shaky grin back at Alec, taking a drink to calm his nerves. “Hmm, did we meet then?” Magnus asked, addressing Clary, who was still frowning.

“It was…” Clary shook her head. “Like magic—” Magnus stopped breathing. “—Cats, glowing over your palm.”

Alec’s barking laugh cut the tension in one swift move. He dropped Magnus’ hand to press it against the wall like he was afraid he’d fall over. “Magical glowing cats, Clary? Have you been drinking?”

Magnus’ heart started up again, slower than before.

***

“Magnus!” Izzy called cheerily, throwing her arm around Magnus’ shoulders.

“Oh,” Magnus said, wrinkling his nose and turning his face away from hers as the stench of alcohol flowed out of her mouth.

Izzy pulled back with a small laugh. “Oops.”

Magnus gently extracted the half-filled glass from Isabelle’s hand, setting it on a table off to the side. “If your breath is anything to go by, I do believe you’ve had enough.”

Izzy was still grinning and Magnus noticed she seemed to have shrunk. Glancing down, he found her feet bare of her heels.

“Come on! We’re dancing,” Izzy laughed, grabbing Magnus’ hand before he could object and pulling him behind her.

Isabelle chose her moment perfectly, Magnus realized a few moments later. A rare slow song came on, giving them the chance to talk while dancing.

Isabelle’s eyes cleared as she grinned, she clearly hadn’t been drinking as much as everyone else. Izzy watched him with her sharp eyes through half the song, silent as could be, before starting in.

“I just…want to be clear,” Izzy said softly, but with a hidden steel in her eyes. “You hurt Alec, I hurt you.”

Magnus’ heart stopped for what felt like the hundredth time that night. “Isabelle—”

Isabelle shook her head, cutting him off. “I know you aren’t trying to hurt him. I know you love him but…that’s not always enough. I know how he looks at you, Magnus. How you look at him… And…do _not_ break my brother’s heart, you hear? Because then I’ll have to break you.”

Magnus swallowed, nodding slowly.

Isabelle grinned, “Whatever it is you’re scared to tell him… Don’t be. I know Alec and…he’s never been like this with anyone before. Whatever it is? He won’t care.”

Isabelle, Magnus thought, was far too smart for Magnus’ own good.

***

“Magnus, we have a problem.”

The night had worn on and on endlessly. Magnus didn’t really mind as most of it had passed with him pressed up against Alec. But the last hour had edged by slowly and he really just wanted to go home. Wanted… Well, he wanted a lot, as he’d only recently realized.

And now here was Raphael, popping up next to him with the inevitable bad news.

Magnus turned to him, raising an eyebrow. “What’s gone wrong? I knew something would go wrong.”

Raphael had nothing to say to that which was Magnus’ first clue that something was actually wrong.

“I knew this was a bad idea.”

Raphael said nothing, leading Magnus back to a far, dark corner of the club. There, they found a leather couch and a very drunk and unconscious mundane.

“Of course, it would be Simon,” Magnus said. He didn’t know the mundane very well but well enough to know that if one of them were to get in trouble at a downworlder club it would be him. “What happened?”

Raphael shrugged. He was wearing a dark red velvet suit, a dark black shirt underneath the jacket, open halfway down his chest.

“What was he drinking?”

The night had been too long for Magnus to be overly worried even though he knew he should’ve been. There was too much going on. He was already worried about so many things. The passed out mundane was just another one to add to the list at that point.

“No one…” Magnus trailed off.

“Bit him?” Raphael supplied, looking around the club that was mostly filled with vampires at that moment. “I don’t think so. Let me know if you find anything of course. Punishment will be handed out if need be.”

Magnus sighed, he’d known this was a bad idea, he repeated to himself again. Luckily, he didn’t see any bite marks on Simon and there was more to being turned than simply getting bitten anyway.

And now he had a reason to leave.

***

By the time they made it back to Magnus’ loft — after making sure everyone else got home safe — Alec was nearly passed out, leaning heavily on Magnus’ shoulder.

“Sorry,” Alec mumbled, stumbling in behind Magnus. “I think I drank more… More than…” he trailed off.

Magnus never did find out what Alec drank more than. He couldn’t help the small, helplessly in love smile that crossed his lips as he slipped his arm back around Alec to make sure he didn’t fall.

They made it to the bedroom with a little help from Magnus’ magic. Alec may have been a mundane but he still weighed quite a lot and was quite a bit bigger than Magnus. Luckily, he was too out of it to notice anything strange.

Alec flopped down onto the bed on his back, mumbling incoherently. Something about angel wings if Magnus wasn’t mistaken.

Magnus smiled to himself, moving around Alec. He pulled Alec’s shoes off before undoing his belt.

“Handsy, Magnus. Always…so handsy,” the dark haired boy whispered, a grin flitting across his lips even as his eyes remained closed.

“I’m just taking your pants off,” Magnus mumbled, cheeks hot for absolutely no reason.

“My point,” Alec said. He was quiet for the next few minutes as Magnus got him out of his tight jeans and leather jacket, leaving him in a t-shirt and his boxers.

Magnus jumped a little when he shouted suddenly, “Exactly!”

Magnus laughed low his throat, moving to pull his own clothes off before laying on the other side of the bed.

As soon as Magnus was stretched out, Alec flipped over. He threw an arm around Magnus, pulling him back, flush against Alec’s front. Alec buried his head in the curve of Magnus’ neck and shoulders, pressing kisses to the side of his neck.

“Mm,” Alec mumbled softly, seeming more awake suddenly.

Magnus couldn’t help the way his heart raced and his whole body flooded with warmth. Not because of Alec kissing him or Alec pressed so close but because he felt warm, safe… _content_.

“I love you, Magnus,” Alec mumbled.

Magnus’ heart stopped for one beat… two… three.

He wasn’t sure he’d heard right… He couldn’t have heard right… Could he?

By the time he could think straight — or at all — Alec had stopped kissing him. Not because Magnus hadn’t replied but because Alec had fallen asleep not two seconds after saying the words.

Magnus’s blood rushed past his ears until it was all he could hear. He couldn’t breathe. His whole body was numb. Did Alec… Had Alexander just…

He was drunk, Magnus told himself. He didn’t even know what he was saying.

_I love you._

Magnus was too hot suddenly, too…smothered. He unceremoniously yanked Alec’s arm away from him and attempted to roll out of bed.

“No,” Alec whispered in that same tired, slurred voice. “Stay.”

Magnus knew Alec was drunk and tired, probably too much of both to remember anything in the morning. But he was reaching out for Magnus, eyes stilled closed, a frown on his face.

Magnus wasn’t even fully out of bed before he laid back down. Alec pulled him close again, this time making it so they were facing each other.

Magnus listened carefully to discern whether Alec was asleep again. He wasn’t. Not yet.

Magnus stared at Alec’s dark lashes across his lighter skin. Ran his fingers through Alec’s hair and watched the way the corners of his lips turned up.

“Alec, I have to tell you,” – the words fell from his mouth like he couldn’t possibly hold them back any longer – “I’m a—”

But Alec was asleep again before another word could escape from Magnus’ mouth.

Magnus couldn’t sleep that night. He just laid there, listening to Alec’s heart beat. Thinking over and over and over again, the words he had to say. The words he _would_ say. Soon.

**Author's Note:**

> The countdown continues… one more fic and then… MAGIC.
> 
> This update took longer than planned because I was trying to write most of the rest of the series because I’m not going to have time for writing next month but from now on you will get an update once a week at the very least, I promise! Next will be up next Tuesday if not before, I could probably be persuaded to post before then... ;)
> 
> Thanks for reading you lovely biscuits, the end is nigh, the reveal is soon, I hope you're all still enjoying alt!Malec's story. Also, you're amazing and I love yooou! <3<3<3
> 
> Yell at me on [Tumblr](http://imawriteriwrite.tumblr.com/) if you wish.


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